viii, 306 pages : 22 cm

Dependence on computers has had a transformative effect on human society. Cybernetics is now woven into the core functions of virtually every basic institution, including our oldest ones. War is one such institution, and the digital revolution's impact on it has been profound. The American military is almost completely reliant on high-tech computer systems. Given the Internet's potential for full-spectrum surveillance and information disruption, the marshaling of computer networks represents the next stage of cyberwar. Indeed, it is upon us already. The recent Stuxnet episode, in which Israel fed a malignant computer virus into Iran's nuclear facilities, is one such example. Penetration into U.S. government computer systems by Chinese hackers -- presumably sponsored by the Chinese government -- is another. Together, they point to a new era in the evolution of human conflict. Peter W. Singer and Allan Friedman lay out how the revolution in military cybernetics occurred and explain where it is headed. They explain what cyberspace is before moving on to discussions of how it can be exploited and why it is so hard to defend. Throughout, they discuss the latest developments in military and security technology. Singer and Friedman close with a discussion of how people and governments can protect themselves

Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-291) and index

Introduction -- pt. I. How it all works -- Defining cyberspace -- "Cyber stuff" : a short history of the internet -- Understanding internet governance -- On the internet : identity and authentication -- Security -- What are the threats? -- Phish : vulnerabilities -- WikiLeaks -- What is advanced persistent threat (APT)? -- The basics of computer defense -- Who is the weakest link? : human factors -- pt. II. Why it matters -- What is the meaning of cyberattack? : importance of terms and frameworks -- The problem of attribution -- What is hactivism? -- Who is anonymous? -- What is cybercrime? -- Shady RATs and cyberspies : what is cyber espionage? -- Cyberterrorism -- How do terrorist actually use the web? -- Cyber Counterterrorism -- Security risk or human right? : foreign policy and the internet -- What is Tor and why does peeling back the onion matter? -- Patriotic hackers -- What was Stuxnet? -- The ethics of cyberweapons -- Defining cyberwar -- The legal side of cyber conflict -- What might a "cyberwar" actually look like? : computer network operations -- What is the US Military approach to cyberwar? -- What is the Chinese approach to cyberwar? -- Deterrence in an era of cyberwar -- Why is threat assessment so hard in cyberspace? -- Does the cybersecurity world favor the weak or the strong? -- Who has the advantage, the offense or the defense? -- What are the dangers of cyber proliferation? -- Are there lessons from past arms races? -- Is t here a cyber-industrial complex? -- pt. III. What can we do? -- Why we can't just build a new, more secure internet -- Rethink security : what is resilience -- Re frame the problem : what can we learn from public health? -- What can pirates teach us about cybersecurity? -- Protect world wide governance for the world wide web : what is the role of international institutions? -- "Graft" the rule of law : do we need a cyberspace treaty? -- Understand the limits of the state in cyberspace -- Rethink government's role : how can we better organize for cybersecurity? -- Approach it as public-private problem : how do we better coordinate defense? -- How can we better prepare for cyber incidents? -- Cybersecurity incentives -- How can we better collaborate on information? -- Demand disclosure : what is the role of transparency? -- Accountability for security -- How do we solve the cyber people problem? -- How can I protect myself and the internet? -- Conclusions -- Where is cybersecurity headed next? -- What do I really need to know in the end?

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